Photographer's Note

The Longji terraces area is famous for the excessively large number of terraced rice paddy fields on its mountain, which have created an intricate pattern on the hillsides. Set amongst the villages of the minorities Zhuang and Yao, the area allows for easy to moderate walking/hiking possibilities along and up hillsides to view the panoramas of the terraced rice fields, as well as glimpse the rural life and style of architecture found in the forest-fringed villages.
Longji means 'Dragon Backed Mountain'. When the paddies are full of water in spring, it is said to resemble the scales on the back of a dragon. The fields are beautiful all year round, in the early stages when filled with water, and as the rice grows and matures, changing colours as it does so. Winter may also see snow. Rape flowers are also to be seen in some parts and in some seasons, and along the journey here, there is forest-clad steep-sloped mountain scenery to be taken in.
Longsheng is home to four minority nationalities: Miao, Yao, Dong and Zhuang. The Yao and Zhuang nationalities live in Longji. The Yao have distinctive clothing and hair styles which set them apart from other ethnic groups. Yao women are famous for having the longest hair in the world. They never cut their hair. Instead they wrap the hair in a bun on top of their head in a style resembling an Indian turban.
We spent the whole day in Longji walking around the terraces and although the weather was a little bit foggy I managed to take couple of photos. It was however a shame that the wide panorama picture was out of question because of the lack of visibility in the valley. This picture shows more of the village and its traditional wooden architecture.

Wonderful landscape, these are pure Chinese terraces.
Very beautiful composition with the town in the corner and the terraces in the other side.
The weather is foggy, but the colours are very beautiful.

Hello Kamila,
panoramas are often breathtaking and always interesting but the challenges imposed by weather conditions or disturbing elements can lead to very creative and attractive compositions. Your picture is a great example for this "theory":) I like very much the natural patterns alternating and drawing a very elegant depiction of the landscape. Your tight framing gives great impact to this delightful visual choreography. You tucked in the village in a discreet but effective way, the colours are fine and moody. We get a comprehensive idea of life in this unique environment. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a great day, hope all's well in Lefkada:)
Ourania

Dear Kamila,
Very good pic showing many things in the frame. The fields are very well managed by farmers. The buildings of the village below the hills is looking very nice. Well seen place.
Regards,
joginder

Hi Kamila,
I like very much your composition, adjusted superbly in the horizontal frame. The light is excellent, an image with unusual features, textures and well balanced colors. You are presenting the terrace fields and the township behind with great perspective from a well chosen point of view and making marvelous use of the foreground and background to provide a comprehensive and attractive context and fill the frame with interest. I love the comfortable clarity, the beautiful colors, the fantastic quality of the light and the effective contrasts.
Very well done.
Greetings,
Miro

Hi Kamila, very good view of these interesting terraced hills transformed by man to grow rice, nicely captured by a great pov, in this great and beautiful photography. An interesting and beautiful image with good sharpness, depth, pretty light, color and quality. An excellent job perfectly done, congratulations my friend. Thanks for sharing this beautiful work.

Hello Kamila ,
A splendid view of this wonderful terraces landscape . With an openening to the superb village .
Electricity has arrived here : a good thing for te locals , less for the photographer ;)
Regards

Hello Kamila,
The colours are outstanding and give a richness to the image that I like very much. The composition is very well balanced with the village on the corner. A lovely pattern picture using the agricultural landscape and a very good view point. Excellent - TFS.
Kind Regards, Ann

We have those rice terraces in my old country the Philippines and it still amazed me how those people from the past ever thought of farming this way, I think they are geniuses. Awesome capture of this beautiful landscape with sharp details and great pov. Well done, tfs.

Fabulous contourlines of the terrases, with the houses built like a labyrinth in a dense trough, to reserve land for agriculture's, Kamila. Taken this from a wondrful high point.
Some red bushs, contrast the light-brown and green cultivated land.
A marvelous sight, well collected.
Kalispera,
Ike

Hello my dear friend
we have a wonderful landscape here
with a great view to the panoramas
of the terraced rice hills
their presentation is almost perfect
I like very much those natural
patterns
the colors are truly wonderful
regards
have a nice evening
Costantino

Another outstanding photograph of your Chinese trip.
It is so well composed, with the valley crossing the frame neatly, on a thirds line.
The colours and the details are remarkable. It is so easy to recognise how different this is, to our western lifestyle.

Hi Kamila,every pic from your trip is a great spectacle! I like a lot your choice of these lare views,perfect to create always original compositions,this is an another great masterwork,what a place and what a quality,very intresting note too.Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano

Attractive view of the Longji rice paddy terraces, stacked on top of each other, curving up the hill sides, with a glimpse of the traditional village among the scene, and enhanced by the low level lighting to reveal the textures and details.

Beautiful earthy colours, great POV which plays upon the many contours and reveals the human habitation. I find such images with soft light moody and more revealing due to the absence of dark shadows that a sunny day would create. Best wishes. Klaudio.

Hi Kamila
The stepped farming pattern looks too good to be true, and in spite of the foggy conditions, the picture has come out fantastic.
And the houses at the background provide a sharp contrast.
Beautiful as always!
Apurba

Hi Kamila
always fascinated by shots like this, the terraces always look so wonderful and this shot does them full justice. Love the contrast of elegant curves beside the more conventional lines of the houses below. A beautiful image presented perfectly.

Hi Kamila.
A truly wonderful and spectacular composition, with those lovely terraced crop, completely covering the hills, is ideal amount of different shades, which can be seen therein, the trees in the hollows of the ground, giving a lovely twist, the the same village, we can see a bit in the top corner.
An image to enjoy, with its beautiful colorful, high brightness and perfect sharpness.
Very well done. I love it.
Have a nice day.
Best wishes.
Luis.

Hello Kamila,
This photo is exceptional for the closeness between the fairly ordinary looking town and these marvellously elegant terraces. They could almost make me believe they were made with an artistic intention. The fog didn't stop you from taking a perfectly clear and bright photo.
Greetings from Poland,
Gert

hi Kamila
I love how you composed this very much. I have seen these fields before here on TE and they never fail to amaze me, but a wonderful idea to include the architecture of the village too, I have never seen that before. I am torn between the beauty of the town and the fields. They compliment each other so well.
Nicely done, and thanks as always for sharing.
Best wishes
Noel

Hi Kamila
The contours of the terrace field give a very graphical look heightening the strength of the composition with a smooth flow through the curves. Full marks for exposure too as the contrast range looks like it may have been difficult. I think having the dwelling in the corner adds to the image, the colors are sumptuous and crisp altogether an impressive landscape which is a joy to view. Well done, It's Beautiful :) TFS
Best regards

Good afternoon.
An interesting article on the Longji terraces with a description, a nice view ...
Good time recording, contrast and perspective, nice terrace and shown part of the city.
Good work and composition, beautiful colors.
Farmers use every piece of land.
Nice afternoon and all the best.
Paja.

All these nice terraces are made through people with the hand, almost a miracle long time ago.
Pleasant panorama view, made in high quality and excellent colours.
Sharpness and clarity is perfect.
Composition and presentation gives a good feeling.
Very well done, TFS

Hi Kamila,
you are adding a very beautiful impression of this well known landscape to the gallery. Your POV is very well chosen and the composition is – as usual - excellent. I also love the moody colors. My compliments also for the interesting notes!
Warm regards
Harriet

Hello Kamila,
The rain put a slight veil on the village, but allows you to benefit from well saturated colors on rice terraces. The high point of view shows us precisely the gigantic earthworks necessary to install these rice fields. Another beautiful view in your series on China.
Regards,
Delphine

You're capturing well this terrace field on mountain by a good angle and excellent tone, so it's interesting and impressive to see the wisdom of the predecessors who used the agricultural lot effectively. And, it's also impressive in the contrast with residential area at the upper left.

Many times have I seen pictures of terraces such as this, but a first to have a composition which has included so much of the adjacent village...and might I say, it works tremendously well! This framing puts a fresh perspective on the landscape and places context to both portions. A magnificent view from this elevated position, and one that is not too far removed from the detail of the land below.

Love the combination of elements and dimension, as well as the informative notes regarding the culture. We may not be able to see them, but I can visualize in my minds eye many of the long haired women roaming about. :) Great colors and clarity, even if there was limited visibility. Another impressive result! Enjoy the new day. All the best.

Hello Kamila,
It's amazing how people have started cultivating these steep hill slopes.
Beautiful alternation of green and golden tones. Wonderful curving lines.
Interesting inclusion of the village between the hills.
Best regards, Paul

How beautifully sculpted these terraces are! I imagine it must have many generations, perhaps hundreds of years for such topography to be carved from the land. Your photos of Chinas of China from your visit last spring would make a wonderful photo book. I have created several photo books using a company called Snapfish. I know there are many other, including Shutterfly. But drop me a note at my email address, drbatalay@gmail.com, and I will share one of these photo books to give you an idea.

Great panoramic capture of the so impresive terraces, not always a blue sky is need as you show here in a tight composition
Like the POV chosen to show both terraces and contrast with the village
Very well done, good TE contribution
Maria

What a stunning photo. The tight cropping, leaving out the sky completely has evened the light out flawlessly and allowed us to concentrate on those magnificent textures and colours. Such impressive sharpness and depth. Congratulations.

Hello Kamila. Your gallery I like very much, because they show a clear and aesthetic photographic signature. Each photo is a little gem in itself. Nice that there are such masterful contributions to TE.
Best rgds, Wolfgang.

Hello Kamila,
When I look at these rice terraces, it just makes me think of slices of bread stacked on top of each other ! The curves of the terraces following the hill contours make for a splendid graphical effect. The background village appears to be swallowed up by the hillside fields. The colours are nicely saturated and the exposure is perfectly sharp. A very well created and composed shot.
Kind regards,
Christian

Hi Kamila,
very attractive this panoramic view of Longji terraces area with the cultivated hills to create a spectacular optical effect.
I like the excellent light and colour management with the village on the left to copmpetes perfect the whole scene.Well done.

Another splendid scenery from China.I haven't been in this part of China yet.But I hope to go there in the future,and your shot confirm me that it would be a marvellous place to go.I like your composition and the colours too,in spite of the weather seems not to be very nice.The graphism of the terraced rice field is superb in your very nice composition.
Friendly.
Patrick

Hi Kamila
I know you mentioned you were a bit unhappy with the composition, wanting a wider look - but this looks pretty darn good to me.
Rice paddy fields are such an iconic subject in China, who could blame you for wanting to capture these.

really enjoy the flow of the curves. its like a scene thats in fluid motion :)
enjoy your day
craig

If I end up back in China I will have to pay this place a visit. I have been to Guilin twice but not here. Next time Amazing repetition of the rice paddies that is the equal of Bali, Java or the Philippines. I like the warm cold colour contrast between the blue village and yellow hills. Have a great week!

Hello Kamila
Stunning work to show us the fabulous terraces and the village as well ith its traditional wooden houses. The terraces show crops at various stages of their cultivation. Beautiful picture and a fine informative note!
With Regards
Angshu

amazing contrast between the rural and the urban areas. the shapes of these terraces is impressive, no matter how much times we can see them. I liked the golden hues and even the small details we can see here. TFS.